The Olsons do Utah.

I'm not sure who should take credit for the idea (probably my dad), but the Olsons went on vacation together last week.  Apparently, when we all live in far corners of the country-- New York, Oregon and Florida-- my parents have a hard time getting their kids together.  So, instead of all converging on Wayne, America like usual, we went on vacation together.  Just like the old days.

We rented a house outside of Zion National Park in southern Utah for four days.  Four great days of dune jumping, hiking, sight seeing, cooking, game playing and general merriment.  Here, as usual, is your photographic feast.

Our trip to Utah by the numbers:

Miles driven: 2,346

National parks visited: 2

Miles hiked:  20

Elevation gained:  4722 ft.

Family members present: 8

Cameras present at any given time:  10

Olsons that Mom fooled with her annual April Fool's Day joke: 2

Winners of the Zion cook-off:  Bridget and Craig (Sorry Scott, you ran a tight race, but that gelato thing was to die for.)

Hours the power was out at the Rabbit Junction rental mansion: 1 

Vertical skiied at Snowbird:  21,472 ft.

Times I laughed on this trip: a million

Times I smiled: a billion

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park-- very cool and since we were there early in the morning, the deserted coral pink sand dunes.

Craig, Bryan and Scott doin' some dune jumpin'.
Craig and Bridget make good use of the bleachers at the dunes.  The bleachers are for...?  

"Goooooo dunes! Go dunes!"
B and me at the top of Observation Point, elev. 6,508 ft. with a view up Zion Canyon.
The family hiking down into the hoodoos at Bryce Canyon National Park.  This was my favorite side trip-- everywhere you looked was a photo waiting to happen.
Mom and Pops at Bryce Canyon.
Hoo-die hoo, I love those hoodoos.
The family poses at Bryce Point.
Mom setting out on the very sketchy trail up to Angel's Landing in Zion.   She is super hard core and keepin' it real.
Looking back down the ridge from the top of Angel's Landing.  Yep, that ridge is the trail folks. When I say "sketchy", oh boy, do I mean sketchy.  See the middle section down there?  Well, it's about 1,000 feet straight down on either side of you while you walk across a little rock bridge about five feet wide.  Yeah.  For reals.  
Brothers and sister at the top of Angel's Landing.
B and me on the Emerald Pools trail deep in the Zion Canyon.
Getting ready for another run down the powdery slopes of Snowbird, Utah.  Of-course we had to stop and ski on the way home.  

B kicking up some spray.

This pretty much sums up what I thought of the entire trip.  Wooo!